360Photography

Category: Uncategorized

  • X-Factor: We examine Canon’s EOS-1D X Mark II

    Introduction

    The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II is the company’s latest flagship camera. Its lineage and price tag make clear that it’s aimed at professionals, but what does that really mean? We’ve had our hands on a prototype, so click through this slideshow for a closer look the all-new Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. 

    Handling

    The first thing to notice is how similar the body layout and design is to previous models. More so than any other part of the market, pro-level cameras need to be consistent with their predecessors. Working professionals need to be able to pick up the new camera and use it perfectly, the first time they take it out. This may not mean using it to its full potential but, at the very least, it needs to perform as well as the camera they’ve been using.

    To give some idea of how familiar pro shooters become with their cameras, our team photojournalist Jordan Stead’s first response upon picking up the camera was: ‘I noticed the AF selection joysticks have changed. They’re larger and less pointy.’ Indeed, the AF selection joysticks are considerably larger, gaining 5D-series-style crenelations around the edges, while maintaining the portcullis-like surface pattern.  

    Handling

    Unfortunately, leaving everything the same isn’t always a good thing, as it can mean the camera’s behavior doesn’t keep pace with its evolving feature set.

    The EOS-1D X II lets you use Auto ISO in manual exposure mode and allows the use of exposure compensation to set the target brightness. However, the +/- exposure compensation button on the top plate doesn’t work in M mode: instead you need to customize a different button to set exposure compensation, or remove your eye from the viewfinder and use the Q menu. This makes little sense when you have a dedicated exposure compensation button.

    A gripe, and a like

    There’s also no quick way to switch between having the camera automatically select a starting AF point vs manually selecting one in continuous AF tracking (AI Servo with iTR). Instead you have to dig through the menus to specify this. We believe some photographers will want to manually choose their subject by selecting an AF point and initiating focus with it, but it would be nice to quickly switch to an auto mode – where the camera selects the nearest target – to respond to a quickly changing scenario.

    While we’re on the subject of quickly switching AF modes, though, it’s worth highlighting one of our favorite custom controls: OneShot<–>AI Servo and AF<–>. Assigning a button to these features allows you to quickly swap between single and continuous AF, and between two AF area modes commonly used (e.g. single point vs. all 61 points). This allows a photographer to quickly adapt to changing scenarios. 

    Making a class-leading AF module better

    By now Canon shooters should be very familiar with the 61-point AF system that debuted in the 1D X, and a version of which can also be found in the 5D Mark III and 5DS/R cameras. This module has been updated for the better in the 1D X II. It offers 24% more vertical coverage, by moving focus points further apart, which also increases the central AF area by 8%. The center AF point is now sensitive down to -3EV in One-Shot AF, which will be a boon for low light – and we think particularly wedding and event – photographers.

    Speaking of wedding and event photographers – one consistent complaint leveled at the 1D X was the lack of continuous AF point illumination. This could make it difficult to, for example, follow a dark subject on a wedding dance floor with your center AF point long enough for it to lock focus. In these situations, we’d often find ourselves activating the AF grid (which lights up all points red) on a 5D Mark III just to get a glimpse of where our selected AF point was in relation to the subject. 

    With the 1D X II, you can choose to have AF points constantly illuminated, with your selected AF point indicated by red-lit square brackets, while every other AF point is indicated by red dots. Two levels of brightness that are user-selectable control how bright red points appear. In AI Servo mode, you can have your selected AF point lit red as long as the subject is in focus, but we’ll withhold judgement on the exact implementation until we’ve been able to use a production camera. 

    Intelligent AF with a 360k-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor

    The metering sensor on the 1D X II has experienced a significant increase in resolution. With 360,000 RGB+IR pixels, it’s the highest resolution metering sensor we’ve ever seen. This should lead to accurate metering, and also enables the camera’s anti-flicker shooting feature, which delays the shutter firing so that it syncs-up with the brightest moments of the fluctuations that occur with some artificial lighting. 

    But the implications of a high resolution metering sensor are most exciting for autofocus. Why? Think of the metering sensor as a low resolution image sensor that can be used to find faces and recognize objects so it can tell the AF system which points to use to follow them (something Canon refers to iTR, and we generally refer to as subject tracking). The main image sensors of DSLRs can’t be used to do this (as they can on mirrorless cameras), because they are blocked by the reflex mirror between exposures. However, the metering sensor, embedded in the viewfinder hump, can see the scene in front of the lens whenever the mirror is down. This has prompted the use of increasingly high resolution sensors to provide the cameras with scene and subject awareness. For example, Nikon announced a 180,000-pixel RGB metering sensor in their recent D5/500 announcements (we analyzed its implications here).

    So how does it work? Our initial impressions are that subject tracking remains a bit erratic and highly dependent on your shooting scenario – in other words, on the face of it, not as versatile as Nikon’s class-leading 3D tracking. While we’d expect it to remain very good at following subjects well-isolated in depth (typically distant subjects shot with telephoto lenses, such as birds), it doesn’t appear to be quite accurate enough to track, say, the eye of a face.

    We were somewhat surprised by this, given the pinpoint precision Nikon 3D tracking is capable of with a far lower resolution 91,000-pixel RGB metering sensor, and given the accuracy with which the 1D X II itself tended to focus on eyes of faces in One-Shot AF (with 61-point Auto AF). Our guess is that when it comes to iTR, Canon continues to rely heavily on distance information to subject track, which may serve it well for birds-in-flight, distant wildlife, and sports photography, but is known to have its limitations.

    In other words, it’s not just about how many pixels your metering sensor has, but how you use them. It should be noted though that these impressions are based on limited use of a pre-production camera, so we’re not drawing any definitive conclusions at this stage.

    Face detection in viewfinder shooting

    Face detection in OVF shooting is nothing new: cameras like the original 1D X, 5DS, 7D Mark II, and most full-frame Nikon cameras also have this ability. But with the 360,000 RGB+IR pixel sensor, the 1D X has the potential to recognize faces better. Does it?

    In our brief time with the EOS-1D X Mark II, face detection indeed appeared to work very well. When the camera is set to iTR (Face Priority), and 61-point mode with Auto selection, in single AF (One-Shot) mode the camera is really good at finding the nearest face and focusing on it – and it even appears from our initial testing to prioritize eyes or the plane of a person’s cheeks. Traditionally, we’ve found face detection in OVF shooting on Canon cameras like the 7D Mark II and 5DS to focus on the nose – possibly due to the low resolution of the metering sensor and the camera ostensibly just telling the PDAF system to focus in the general vicinity of the face (dedicated PDAF systems tend to prioritize the nearest object – like noses). With the spatial resolution of a 360,000-pixel RGB+IR sensor, though, we expect the eyes to be distinguishable features, and we found the majority of shots shot with ‘Auto’ AF area with face priority to be focused on or near the eyes, less so the nose. The system was also good at not getting confused by objects obstructing parts of faces – impressive. 

    That said, results were less impressive in continuous AF mode (AI Servo), where iTR kicks in and can lead to erratic results. In Servo 61-point AF with iTR, we found the camera to start on or near the eye of a detected face, but then wander off to a nose, or the subject’s hair. This is consistent with our previous experiences – we’ve found iTR to be somewhat inaccurate at sticking to your initial subject (e.g. the eye of a face), potentially due to its heavy reliance on distance information over pattern recognition for subject tracking. However, we would’ve expected the 360,000-pixel RGB+IR sensor to significantly increase the accuracy of iTR for subjects such as faces and facial features, and nearer objects in general. Yet our initial impressions are that if it does, it’s not obvious (as yet).

    Please note, though, again, that our initial assessment is based on use of a pre-production EOS-1D X Mark II.

    Backwards compatibility

    As well as offering familiar ergonomics, the camera offers a good degree of backwards compatibility. For example, the Mark II uses a new battery, the LP-E19 but is still able to make use of the LP-E4 batteries used by its predecessor. 

    This means that any professionals who’ve built up a collection of LP-E4 batteries with their previous cameras. However, the difference between the two isn’t simply a matter of capacity: reverting to the older packs will see the maximum continuous shooting rate from from 14 fps (with 16 fps in live view) back to the 12/14 fps rate offered by the original 1D X. The new battery also offers an impressive figure of 1210 shots on one charge, according to CIPA standards.

    CFast / Compact Flash

    This attempt to maintain backwards compatibility risks adding complications, though. For existing users, the camera includes a CompactFlash socket but to cope with greater data throughput, the main slot uses the outwardly similar but physically incompatible CFast format.

    We have concerns about the wisdom of using two such similar cards alongside one another in the high-pressure circumstances the 1D X II will be used in. It’s a concern echoed by pro shooter Jordan Stead:

    ‘I’ll probably stick with [CompactFlash] for now: there don’t seem to be enough advantages to CFast if you’re not shooting 4K,’ he says. ‘Also, I’d worry about whether you can accidentally try to mash the wrong card into the wrong slot, because they’re so similar. If you’re on the sidelines, dealing with runners [running cards back from the camera to a laptop], they’re not going to know the difference – I’d worry about them breaking my card reader or bringing me the wrong card.’

    Speed benefits

    With a CFast card, the camera can shoot nearly as many Raw files in a burst as the original 1D X could manage with JPEGs (170 vs 180), meaning that beyond the increase in storage required, there’s effectively no performance cost to shooting Raw.

    The significance of this may not so much be a question of having such a large buffer, but in the fact that it essentially removes one of the key limitations to shooting Raw.

    ‘For the shooting I do, [a 12 second buffer] is unnecessary,’ says Stead. ‘I can’t remember ever shooting more than 3 or so seconds in a burst, but it’s good to know that you’re never going to hit its limit.’

    What is it?

    And several other upgrades have also been made that reduce any impact of the larger file sizes that Raw brings. The speed of the Ethernet port has been increased from 100Mbps to 330Mbps while the new WFT-E8A Wi-Fi accessory now supports the substantially faster 802.11ac standard. There’s also a USB 3.0 connector, giving plenty of high-speed options for file transfer.

    All of these make it easier to transfer large files off the camera quickly, however you’re delivering your images.

    On the go

    On top of this, the camera’s post-shot in-camera Raw processing has been improved, and it’s now possible to apply all the digital lens corrections previously offered by Canon’s Digital Photo Professional software in the camera as a post-processing option. This allows lens-specific distortion, vignetting, chromatic aberration and color blur to be corrected. The camera’s JPEG engine also gains a diffraction optimizing function that tries to correct for diffraction if you shoot using small apertures.

    The 1D X II also features built-in GPS. ‘GPS is cool, too – it’s another thing that the camera is embedding for you, meaning that you don’t need to stop and add that information yourself,’ highlights Stead.

    Video capabilities

    Looking closely at the EOS-1D X II’s video capabilities tells an interesting story. The camera still lacks the focus peaking and zebra warnings offered on the Cinema EOS cameras the company makes for professional video work. And, for that matter, the Log Gamma option that appeared on the 1D C (so it’s not clear whether this camera eliminates the need for a 1D C II). The camera can also only output 1080 footage over HDMI, which suggests Canon doesn’t expect (or want) it to take the place of one of its more video-focused models.

    Video for non-videographers

    Saying that the 1D X II doesn’t appear to be designed for professional video doesn’t mean it can’t offer video for professionals; it merely depends on which profession. With its touchscreen-operated Dual Pixel AF system, the 1D X II should be one of the easiest cameras to capture footage with if you’re not an experienced videographer. The autofocus should be able to refocus without distracting focus wobble simply by tapping the screen. What’s more, tracking sensitivity and AF speeds can be adjusted for movie recording, allowing videographers to optimize continuous focus for their particular application. 

    We’re a little perplexed, though as to why this Dual Pixel AF isn’t available for continuous AF in stills shooting. Clearly, continuous Dual Pixel AF is possible (Movie Servo AF), yet it’s simply disabled for stills.

    The only thing we’re surprised to see is that it doesn’t appear to be possible to use Auto ISO and exposure compensation when manually exposing in video. Setting the shutter speed and aperture, then leaving the camera to use ISO to maintain a pre-specified brightness is one of the easiest ways to shoot.

    But what about 4K?

    The biggest upgrade in the camera’s video spec is the addition of 4K shooting but, interestingly, this can only be captured using the Motion JPEG format and the wider-than-16:9 DCI 4K aspect ratio (4096 x 2160 pixels). Both of these choices seem odd: the All-I H.264 compression the camera uses for its 1080 footage would be a more efficient choice of codec and the 16:9 UHD flavor of 4K is better suited to certain applications.

    However, along with 4K capture, the 1D X II includes tools to grab 8.8MP frames from its 4K files: at which point the decision to save every frame as an individual JPEG makes slightly more sense. Wedding shooters might even use this feature to document receptions in complete silence: despite the 1D X II gaining a continuous silent drive mode like the 5DS/R, it’s not all that silent. 

    The 1D X II also gains a headphone jack, important for monitoring sound levels during video recording.

    First impressions

    Overall, the EOS-1D X II looks pretty much exactly as we thought it would look. It’s a solid, high-performance DSLR that works in basically the same way as its predecessors. It improves on them in several respects, but does not represent a major paradigm shift in either Canon’s state-of-the-art, or the digital camera market as a whole. This isn’t a criticism – this is what progress looks like at the very top of the market, where letting working professionals get the shot they need matters a lot more than piling on fancy features.

    That said, there are two main ways in which we think the camera may prove particularly significant, once it gets into the hands of pro photographers.

    The first is autofocus performance. Canon has been developing its iTR autofocus tracking for some time and there’s still a chance it’ll shine when put to use in the field (despite our initial impressions). And in the EOS-1D X Mark II, Dual Pixel AF makes its debut in full-frame format. This not only offers fast, precise, and decisive AF in video, but also accurate and quick AF in Live View for stills shooting, albeit of static subjects, without the need for lens-specific calibration, ever.

    The second area in which the EOS-1D X Mark II could raise the bar is workflow. The 1D X II features a series of improvements that could make Raw shooting much easier to incorporate into a high-speed press photography workflow. Equally if it helps stills-focused photojournalists to shoot effective video clips, it could prove to be much more of a breakthrough than it initially seems.

    It’s this second aspect that caught Stead’s eye: ‘Everything seems designed to help get the images out of the camera and onto the wires as quickly as possible, without the need for a computer – whether you’re a JPEG or Raw shooter. It looks like the perfect sports/wire service camera.’

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Phottix announces next generation of Odin TTL flash controllers

    $ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_1596139815″,”galleryId”:”1596139815″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”startInCommentsView”:false,”isMobile”:false}) });

    Flash and accessory manufacturer Phottix has released details of the second generation of Odin flash controllers that will go on sale mid-February. The Odin II units, which allow wireless TTL control of hotshoe and portable studio flash units, will add two extra control groups and 28 additional channels to the radio trigger’s reach, and will make the user interface easier to handle. 

    The Odin system, which is compatible with Nikon, Canon and Sony cameras can be used with the company’s battery-powered Indra 500 and 300 portable studio flash heads, as well as the company’s Mitros hotshoe flash units. The new models also add an AF assist lamp, 10 new custom functions and digital ID for channels 5 to 32 to ensure the correct units are communicating. 

    The Odin system is divided into transmitters and receivers, and Phottix’s own flash units have the receivers built-in. Photographers using Canon, Nikon or Sony branded flash units can use their hotshoe flash units with an Odin receiver to take advantage of the better range and connection of radio transmission over the line-of-sight systems camera brands tend to produce. Radio also works better when shooting outside in bright conditions.

    The company says that new firmware will be released for the Mitros and Indra flash units to make them compatible with the new features. 

    The Canon and Nikon models will be available first, with those for Sony cameras arriving in late April. The transmitters will cost £160, while receivers will be £125.

    For more information visit the Phottix website.

    Press release: 

    Introducing the Phottix Odin II TTL Flash Trigger

    Phottix adds cutting edge functionality and features to its flagship trigger

    Eagerly anticipated by thousands of Odin customers, the Odin II is the result of requests from Professional Photographers demanding more from their TTL flash systems.  Phottix is delivering on its promises to provide the very best system available today. 

    Unrivalled Control and Streamlined User Interface

    The Odin II allows more control than ever before.  The controls are logical, simple to use, and allow extremely fast adjustments.

    With five groups, A, B, C, D and E, the dedicated quick access buttons allow changes to be made by simply turning the new thumb wheel which is perfectly placed below the improved large LCD screen to adjust the compensation.  The backlit LCD panel shows the settings at a glance.  Now you can control five channels or groups of lights at the touch of a button, in TTL Mode or in a combination of full manual mode and TTL – the choice is yours.  When switching a group off, its display line disappears from the screen, showing just the groups remaining active.

    Backward Compatibility

    The Odin II system is compatible with the original Odin system, Phottix Mitros+ Speedlights, the award-winning Indra360 and Indra500 TTL Studio lights, Strato and Strato II receivers, and Atlas II in receiver mode.  Using channels 1 to 4 you can work with the kit you already own with the Phottix Odin II.

    More Channels and Digital ID

    To take advantage of the Phottix Odin II, a total of 32 channels can be used, channels 5 to 32 use the full functionality of the Odin II receiver, including a user-set digital ID for the ultimate in secure triggering.  Users can remotely control Speedlight zoom settings, providing the perfect coverage from a wide angle to a spot light.  When shooting with the Phottix Indra360/500 series, the Odin II transmitter also offers remote modelling light control and full light ratio controls.

    High Speed Sync and Overdrive Sync

    High Speed Sync with TTL flashes and Overdrive Sync with manual enable flash photography at up to 1/8000 second for creative photographers.  The newly added AF assist light makes autofocus a breeze in dimly lit locations.  An additional ten custom functions allow users to customise the Odin II, including switching on/off the audible beep, screen brightness, an AF Illuminator function and the ODS system control functionality, as well as a full factory reset should you need it.

    Firmware Updates

    Firmware upgrades for the Phottix Mitros+ and Phottix Indra360/500 will soon be available to take advantage of the new features of the Odin II – these will be announced shortly via the Phottix Journal and on the Phottix.com website.

    Major Features 

    • 5 groups A, B, C, D and E
    • 32 channels with user-set Digital ID on channels 5 to 32
    • Group buttons and thumbwheel control for fast operation
    • TTL Power Control +/- 3EV
    • Manual Power Control 1/1 to 1/128th
    • High Speed Sync – up to 1/8000s on compatible cameras
    • Second Curtain Sync (Nikon and Sony only)
    • AF Assist Light
    • Flash zoom control
    • Modelling Light Control with Indra500/360
    • 2.4 GHz, Range up to 100 metres
    • Compatible with Indra500/360 TTL, Mitros+, Odin, Strato, Strato II and Atlas II
    • Always up to date via the latest Firmware.

    Odin II for Nikon and Canon will be available from all Platinum Dealers week commencing 15th of February 2016, the Sony Odin II is expected to arrive in late April.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Photo Mate R3 brings improved Raw editing on Android

    Photo Mate, arguably the most comprehensive Raw image editing app for Android, has received a substantial update. Version R3 comes with an all-new rendering engine for both Raw & JPEG editing. This includes improvements to all the important adjustments, such as contrast, shadows, highlights and exposure. Read more

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Design, looks and desire: Olympus does it again

    You really can’t tell whether a camera is any good just by looking at it. Some people do indeed think that they can, but they will be people who admit quite openly that they know nothing about cameras. To those unfamiliar with the market, and the reasons we need different body shapes, some cameras will simply look more ‘professional’ than others. And bigger cameras will inevitably be considered much more serious than those whose designers have gone to great lengths to make compact.

    Colorful cameras are obviously less credible than ones that have silver bits on them, and infinitely less credible again than ones that come cloaked entirely in matte black. Chrome and silver can make some believe the subject of their gaze is antique, and those that have no fancy knobs or shiny bits may be considered simply old-fashioned. 

    Our use of Leica rangefinders when I worked as a cruise ship photographer prompted more than one jolly passenger to remark that there seemed to be no relationship between the extortionate prices the company charged for pictures and the state of the old-fashioned equipment we were forced to use. The passengers believed that our featureless, sparkle-less, prism-less, block-shaped cameras, that we had to focus ourselves, were relics of a former era. That indeed we were using M4s in 1991 instead of the M6s of the day is neither here nor there, as they essentially both look as ancient as each other. When we explained that these cameras cost of lot of money the response was generally that perhaps we should take our mother shopping with us to avoid being ripped-off. 

    It’s expected that the uninitiated will make quick decisions about a camera just by the way it looks, and in many cases to base a buying decision on its visual credentials. Serious enthusiasts and professional photographers would never do that of course. That’s why all camera brands design their cameras to look plain and unexciting. 

    I’m just looking, dear

    As much as the more sensible of us declare that all their camera equipment purchases are grounded in logic, there are very few of us that cannot be influenced by the way a camera looks. That doesn’t mean we have to buy the best looking model, but I think that most of us will at least admire the style of the new Olympus PEN-F.

    Those milled dials on the top plate and the neat flared appendage on the port-side forward facing are undeniably attractive. They may even create a twitching credit card in the pockets of those who had no prior idea they were in the market for a new camera. The clunky metallic dials may not represent the practicality of some other ways of working, but they certainly make for a more appetizing visual than a collection of black finger wheels ever could.

    Olympus’ repurposing of the film rewind post, with its gnarled head, to become the on/off switch, is a clever piece of work that lends the whole design a convincing impression of both heritage and originality, rather than looking like just another retro reproduction. 

    Creative license

    It is ironic perhaps that the design of 2016’s PEN-F has very little in common with the original model. That it has a lens and is available with a chrome or black top are about the only similarities. In my opinion, the PEN-F of 1963 was actually less than absolutely gorgeous unless decorated with ‘Hollywood’ lighting, used in a classy portrait or featured in a period drama.

    ‘the new PEN-F is left looking more like the love-child of the Leica lll than it does anything from the Olympus archive of the early 1960s’

    The rather-too-long top plate of the original makes the lens appear off-balanced compared to the central mount and active top plate of the 2016 model. The original also had no dials on the top plate and the action required to rewind a film was achieved with a crank handle rather than a gnarl-headed post. Olympus generally didn’t use big top-plate shutter speed dials until the OM series of 35mm SLRs, and it ran out of the gnarl-headed rewind posts after cameras like the 1948 35 1 – the first 35mm camera to be sold in Japan. 

    So in the new PEN-F what we are looking at is some historical fiction rather than a recreation. But that’s OK, history often looks much better with a heavy dose of make-believe – just ask Asterix and Obelix. 

    While the link between the new and old PEN-F models might not be as strong as it is between the original Leica MP and the ‘modern’ MP, I don’t think anyone is going to lose any sleep over it. The point is that the new model is very good looking, and good looking gets attention from photographers and ultimately helps to sell cameras. 

    Looks versus logic

    The Fujifilm X100 – massively popular even before it had been tested, and fortunately just as popular afterwards!

    Fujifilm might have a fantastic X-Trans sensor in its X-series cameras, but I expect a good many of those X-T1 and X-Pro1 bodies sold because they look so cool. I know there were enormous back orders for the X100 even before it had been tested by anyone, which demonstrates that plenty of people were prepared to put their money down even before they knew if the camera was any good.

    The strength of the X series design has even outweighed the widely acknowledged sluggish AF performance of some of the models, and we hear proud owners making excuses as though for a fondly looked on three-legged dog. ‘Yeah, I know the AF isn’t that great, but it’s such a beautiful camera. I love using it.’ Like the Sirens of Greek mythology, the intoxicating curves of a well-toned camera body can prove a powerful draw to a normally logical person. 

    I suppose a company’s heritage can reduce the risk of a good looking camera performing badly when you buy before you try, and it’s reasonable enough to expect that the PEN-F will operate as well as the OM-D bodies and the top-tier of the current PENs (and our initial impressions have been positive). More importantly perhaps there is no reason for us to think that it will NOT perform at least just as well. 

    A wolf in wolf’s clothing

    It will be interesting to see how sales of the PEN-F compare with those of Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-GX8. It is after all very similar in terms of key specification – probably the same sensor, enhanced touch functions including touch-pad AF, the same viewfinder position (minus the articulation) and the same lens range to choose from. In fact, the bodies are so astonishingly similar that the PEN-F looks more like a stylish adaptation, or a flattering imitator, than a competitor – but to my eye at least the PEN, with its contours, layers and more rounded feel takes the beauty pageant rosette. The designers have done a great job. 

    A camera has to perform, of course, and it won’t sell well otherwise, but an eye-catching design that appeals to the right audience is an important differentiator and often what gets the product noticed, mentioned in the press, remembered by the public and purchased in a crowded market. 

    With all things being mostly equal – except that Olympus has more heritage in the camera market, and Panasonic has 4K and a head-start – I suspect that it will be on looks that most people make the choice at the camera counter between the GX8 and PEN-F.

    Not for the first time

    The O-Product, from 1988

    Olympus has had quite a history of designing original and cool-looking cameras, and I suspect its success over the years has been as much down to the person wielding the drafting pencils as it has the people with the spanners and screw-drivers. Outstanding creations from the archive include the O-Product, the Ecru, the delightful XA and the Mju and Mju-mini digital cameras. My teenage son bought a Trip 35 from an online store that restores and re-covers them, and he thinks it is one of the coolest cameras ever made – to the best of his knowledge, of course. The model he has was likely created 20 years before he was – a better example of enduring design would be hard to find. 

    The Olympus Trip 35 was in production for twenty years, and sold 10 million units from its introduction in 1968 The XA series was popular for its looks and bolt-on flash unit as well as for its sophisticated controls. Launched in 1979 the XA4 was the last model, going on sale from 1985

    Is it OK to buy and love a camera because of the way it looks? Yes and no. If you buy only because of the way it looks you are about to risk your money, but if style and grace sway you from one good product to another that’s probably alright. I guess it is a question of why we take pictures and why we are into photography. Some people like their cameras more than they like taking pictures or looking at the pictures they take, while for some the end result is the be-all and end-all of the process and anything beyond pure functionality is extraneous.

    Most people can find a balance between the two – we buy the best we can, and can give ourselves permission to enjoy the way our equipment looks. Photographers are supposed to be creative people, and creative people like looking at and using nice things. We can choose to remember that there are many reasons for getting into photography and many for continuing to take pictures, but for most of us it is supposed to be enjoyable. We don’t all have to be seduced, but we can allow ourselves to admire some beautiful design, whether for you that’s the PEN-F or a Canon Rebel. Either way, Olympus is certainly going to cause a stir with this new design, just as it has done so many times before. 

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Readers’ Showcase: Christopher Michel

    Readers’ Showcase: Christopher Michel

    Sunrise over Bagan, 2012. Photo by Christopher Michel

    It’s telling that DPR regular Christopher Michel corresponded with me about this piece while he was en route to Antarctica. He considers freelance photography his third career, one that has taken him to the proverbial ends of the earth and beyond. From a U-2 spy plane to the North Pole, he’s searched all over for stories and images that inspire. See some of his work here and find out more about him in our Q&A.

    You can see more of Michel’s work on his website and follow along with his adventures on Twitter. Would you like to be featured in an upcoming Readers’ Showcase? Let us know! Be sure to include your DPR user name and a link to your online portfolio.

    Readers’ Showcase: Christopher Michel

    Union Glacier Camp, Antarctica, 2013. Photo by Christopher Michel

    Tell us about yourself and your history with photography.

    I’m on my third career. After college, I flew for the Navy as a Navigator and Mission Commander aboard P-3 Orion Sub-Hunting Aircraft. After a tour in the Pentagon, I went off to grad school and became an entrepreneur. And for the past 8 years, I’ve been a freelance photographer and writer.

    Readers’ Showcase: Christopher Michel

    Moscow subway, 2014. Photo by Christopher Michel

    When did you know you wanted to pursue photography as a career?

    In 2008, I took stock of my life and decided that my real passion was telling stories through images and writing. I’d been taking photographs since 1998 and with each click of the shutter, my passion grew. Today, I better understand why I love photography so much. It isn’t about magnesium bodies or polished glass – nor even about great images. It’s all about where my camera takes me – and it has taken me to places I couldn’t have even imagined. Some of those places are physical but many more are emotional – conversations, friendships, and adventure that just wouldn’t have been possible without my camera and a deep commitment to story.

    Readers’ Showcase: Christopher Michel

    Spacesuit Selfie aboard a U-2 Spyplane at 70,000 feet, 2012. Photo by Christopher Michel

    You’ve been to some pretty remote locations. Where have you traveled to photograph, and what have been some of your favorite locations?  

    Well, I’ve been fortunate enough to have had a chance to photograph some of Earth’s most extreme locations – from the jungles of Papua New Guinea, to both Poles, and to the edge of space aboard a U-2 spy plane. Antarctica is my favorite place on Earth – I’m actually writing this from Ushuaia, poised to embark on my 5th journey to the Crystal Desert.

    Readers’ Showcase: Christopher Michel

    Morning Kora in Lhasa, Tibet, 2010. Photo by Christopher Michel

    What’s been the toughest assignment you’ve taken?

    Fortunately, my toughest assignment was also one of my favorites. I was asked to be HH The Dalai Lama’s photographer during a three-day visit to the United States a few years back. It was an incredible opportunity to spend time with someone who has influenced the lives of millions – and he didn’t disappoint. He’s one of the kindest, nicest, and most caring humans I’ve ever met… calm, spiritual, compassionate, and full of love and humor. Everything you might imagine.

    Readers’ Showcase: Christopher Michel

    The Edge of Space in a U-2 Spy Plane, 2010. Photo by Christopher Michel

    (cont.) So, why tough? Well, juxtapose this serene man against a backdrop of super celebrity and hyper-security. Imagine thousands of followers and fans everywhere we went – from street corners to massive venues. Imagine celebrities, motorcades and lots of armed State Department Security people. And then there is me – often finding myself between HH and all the people who want to be close to him. So, it was an almost overwhelming contrast between serenity and pandemonium. Unlike many other shoots, I had access but very little control over where I was or where we went. I tried as hard as I could to both capture the moment and blend in – I succeeded most of the time but not always. 

    Readers’ Showcase: Christopher Michel

    An emperor penguin jumping out of the water, 2013. Photo by Christopher Michel

    Where would you like to go that you haven’t been?  

    High level – everywhere. The more I visit a place, the more I feel that I’ve just scratched the surface. But someplace completely new? Well, I’d like to do a piece on the Ocean’s explorers – telling the story of the scientists and submariners who research Earth’s last great frontier. So if any explorers out there want a photographer to come along, I’m game.

    Readers’ Showcase: Christopher Michel

    A DC-3 in Gould Bay, Antarctica, 2013. Photo by Christopher Michel

    What do you shoot with?

    I use different cameras for different purposes.  

    Walking around:

    • The Leica Q and/or Leica M240 (50MM Noctilux and 35MM f/1.4) 
    • General assignments (Congo, etc)
    • Carrying both Leica Q & Sony A7RII (w/ Sony FE 24-240mm). 

    If I’m in more extreme locations, I use the Nikon D4 (foul weather) & D810. I’ve also been shooting the Mamiya 7II – captured some really unique shots with it at the North Pole.

    Readers’ Showcase: Christopher Michel

    Sunrise at Torres Del Paine National Park, 2013. Photo by Christopher Michel

    Do you take on personal projects in addition to assignments? Do you have any you plan to work on in the near future?

    Yes. I mostly freelance so have an opportunity to pick stories of interest and then pitch them! I’m just back from a very interesting assignment in the Democratic Republic of Congo for IDEO.org and the American Refugee Committee. Coming up: Antarctica, Indonesia, and Svalbard.

    Readers’ Showcase: Christopher Michel

    North Pole, 2015. Photo by Christopher Michel

    What role has social media played in developing your ‘brand’ and business as a photographer?

    Hard to say. I get lots of licensing requests from my work on Flickr. I have 1.8M followers on G+ – not sure it has made much of a difference. So, I think it is helping but it’s hard to quantify.

    Readers’ Showcase: Christopher Michel

    Democratic Republic of Congo, 2016. Photo by Christopher Michel

    What advice would you give an aspiring photojournalist?

    Well, I can say what’s worked for me. Tenacity & Love. Tenacity to get the assignment, shot and story. And love for the process and for the people I encounter along the way. I feel like I’m learning every day from the pros in the field.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Better together: A photographer’s trip to Southeast Asia with a limbless man

    $ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_8749851343″,”galleryId”:”8749851343″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”startInCommentsView”:false,”isMobile”:false}) });

    ‘If I Can…’ is the motto Chris Koch lives by. Born without arms and legs, the Canadian travels as a motivational speaker, challenging his audiences to live their lives to their greatest potential and push beyond difficulties. Portrait and wedding photographer Anna Tenne happened to meet Chris before he gave a presentation in her town of Coonabarabran, Australia. When Chris mentioned to her it was a lifelong goal to visit Southeast Asia, a spark ignited and eventually inspired the two fast friends to pack their bags and head for Thailand.

    Tenne’s aim was to help Chris spread his message while she photographed the journey. But what she didn’t expect, as she tells Resource Travel, was how much the trip would teach and inspire her. Chris’ contagious smile is evident in her photos, and the positive impact he has on the people he meets is plain to see. Take a look at some of her photos here and head to Resource Travel to read the full story.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • YoCam is world’s smallest waterproof ‘life’ camera

    A new pocket-sized camera called YoCam, claiming to be the world’s smallest waterproof wearable camera, has been successfully funded through crowdfunding site Indiegogo. Available for pre-order now, Molify’s YoCam features a versatile design suitable for a variety of situations, including underwater recording.

    YoCam is indeed small at 85 x 30 x 21mm / 3.3 x 1.2 x 0.8in and 55g / 1.9oz, and is compatible with mounts like clips and lanyards as well as being waterproof to a max depth of 6m / 20ft. The camera has a maximum video resolution of 2.7K / 30fps with an F2.0 aperture, 140-degree wide-angle lens. Features include P2P remote connections for live video feed monitoring, image and video stabilization, HDR, a life-logging mode for continuous capture and a looping video option.

    Molify also has a line of accessories for YoCam, including a Bluetooth remote control, an adapter compatible with ‘almost every action camera accessory on the market,’ a 3-in-1 magnetic stand, clip and clamp mount, ‘AnyBar’ bar mount, a suction cup mount, wrist strap, dog harness mount and lanyard.

    Pre-orders can be placed on the YoCam Indiegogo page for $ 169, while the retail price is $ 199. Shipping to backers and those who pre-order is estimated to start this April.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Sony camera and sensor business units report drop in sales in 2015

    Sony Corp. released its third quarter 2015 earnings report [PDF], in which the company disclosed notable drops in both camera and image sensor sales. It has also lowered the forecast for both business units, though both are still expected to make a profit in the current fiscal year.

    Note the drop in camera sales but increase in operating income due to the shift to higher-end models.

    Sales in the Imaging Products unit dropped by 5%, due to decreases in unit sales of digital still and video cameras, reflecting ‘a contraction of the market, partially offset by an improvement in the product mix of digital cameras reflecting a shift to high value-added models.’ In other words, they’re selling fewer cheap compacts and more RX and a7-series cameras. Operating income went up by over 20%, however, due the aforementioned shift to higher-end digital cameras.

    Image sensor and battery sales are way down in Q3 2015 vs Q3 2014, and the forecast for FY2015 has been lowered considerably.

    The image sensor business took an even bigger hit. Sales in the Devices unit decreased by over 12% year-on-year due primary to a drop in sales of image sensors as well as batteries. Operating income dropped ¥65.5bn ($ 540m) to –¥11.7bn ($ 97m), due in large part to a write-down in assets related to batteries. While not specific to digital cameras, the company’s statement mentioned a 7.5% drop in sales to external partners.

    Sales in Q1 and Q2 2015 were down more than 500k units each year-on-year and the company’s forecast shows the gap widening in Q3 2015.

    Sony also revised its October forecasts downward for both business units. The Imaging unit’s estimated sales has been reduced by 1.4% and now stands at ¥710bn (compared to ¥724bn in FY2014), while the forecast for the Devices business has been brought down by 11.3% to ¥940bn (compared to ¥927bn in FY2014). Both units are still expected to make a operating profit in FY2015, however.

    On other item of note from the company’s earnings call mentions the Oita manufacturing facility it recently bought from Toshiba. Sony says that they are considering using a portion of the factory for producing ‘logic’ (processors) rather than photodiodes (sensors) in order to reduce the cost of its sensors. While the company is considering this change to ‘mitigate the downsized rate in [the sensor] business’, it is ‘confident in the long-term prospects of image sensors.’

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Manfrotto introduces carbon fiber version of its 190Go travel tripod

    The new carbon fiber version of the Manfrotto 190Go, with the existing aluminium version behind it

    Manfrotto has launched a new lighter version of its 190Go travel tripod that is made with carbon fiber. The new model joins the aluminum version of the existing 190Go, and is essentially the same other than the amount it weighs – and costs. While the aluminum version weighs 1670g / 58.9oz, the new carbon fiber model is notably lighter at 1350g / 47.61oz. Both can manage 7kg / 15.43lbs of equipment and have a maximum shooting height of 147cm / 57.87in.

    The 190Go Carbon fiber will be available legs-only or in a kit with the 496RC2 ball and socket head or the new 804 Mark ll 3-way pan-and-tilt head. UK prices are as follows (US pricing is yet to be announced): 

    • 190Go! Carbon fiber 4-section – £309.95
    • 190Go! Aluminium 4-section (for reference) – £159.95/$ 199.99
    • 190Go! Aluminium kits with 3 way head or ball head – £214.95
    • 190Go! Carbon fiber kits with 3 way head or ball head – £359.95

    For more information visit the Manfrotto website. 

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Sigma 20mm F1.4 ‘Art’ lens real-world sample gallery

    The Sigma 20mm F1.4 DG HSM | A is the newest member of Sigma’s family of ‘Art’ lenses. It’s also the widest member of the Art lens family, and with a maximum aperture of F1.4 Sigma claims that it’s the fastest 20mm lens in the world. We shot this lens on both 5DS R and 7D Mark II bodies, and since we had an EOS mount smart adaptor we even tried it on the Sony A7R II as well.

    From what we’ve seen so far, this lens carries on the Art lineup’s tradition of stunning performance for the price, although this lens does have some characteristics that might not be ideal for all. For instance, it shows quite a bit of field curvature towards the brighter apertures when focused at nearer distances, and our rooftop shots show this particular copy performs better on the left side than the right side. As soon as an F-mount version of the Sigma is available, we plan on doing a shootout between this and the Nikon 20mm F1.8. In the meantime, enjoy a collection of images from the world’s widest F1.4 lens.

    See our Sigma 20mm F1.4 DG HSM | A lens real-world samples gallery

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)